Neonatal Glossary

Here's a handy glossary of some of the more frequently used medical terms you may hear during the treatment of your premature or seriously ill newborn in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Paoli Hospital.

acidosis: an excess of acid in the blood and body tissues

AGA (appropriate for gestational age): describes a baby whose birth weight falls within the normal range for his or her gestational age

ABG (arterial blood gas): a sampling of blood from an artery for determination of oxygen, carbon dioxide and acid content

asphyxia: a lack of adequate oxygen supply to the tissues

aspiration: withdrawal of material from the body by suctioning, often to prevent pneumonia caused by the baby’s inspiration of a foreign substance, such as formula or stomach contents, into the lungs

atelectasis: a collapse of air sacs in a part of the lungs

bagging: pumping air and/or oxygen into the baby’s lungs by compressing a bag attached to a breathing tube or a mask that covers the baby’s nose and mouth

bilirubin: a yellowish substance produced when red blood cells break down; may cause jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes; in large amounts, may cause kernicterus, a form of brain damage

bladder tap: a procedure in which a needle is inserted through the abdominal wall directly into the bladder to withdraw urine

calcium: a chemical necessary for the normal functioning of the nerves, heart and other muscles and for the growth of bones and teeth

CAT scanner or CT scanner: a computerized X-ray machine that can take pictures of cross sections of body tissues; sometimes used to diagnose brain disorders

CBC (complete blood count): tests to determine the number and types of cells in the blood; part of a group of tests to check for anemia or infections

central line: an intravenous line, threaded through a vein to a position as close as possible to the heart

CSF (cerebrospinal fluid): fluid produced in the ventricles of the brain that circulates around the brain and spinal column

chest tube: a tube surgically inserted between a collapsed lung and the chest wall to suction away air and allow the lung to reexpand

CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure): pressurized air, sometimes with additional oxygen, delivered to the baby’s lungs to keep them expanded as the baby inhales and exhales

creatinine: blood test for kidney function

cultures and sensitivities: tests performed as part of an evaluation for infection in which samples of fluid and other materials from the body are placed in cultures that encourage growth of infectious organisms present; these growths are then tested for sensitivity to various antibiotics

cyanosis: a blue or "dusky" color of the skin caused by a lack of oxygen

Dextrostix: a chemically treated plastic strip used in a simple blood test to assess sugar levels

high-frequency jet ventilator: a special ventilator capable of breathing for a baby at rates exceeding those of a normal ventilator (i.e., 420 breaths per minute, or BPM)

high-frequency oscillatory ventilator: a special ventilator capable of breathing for a baby at rates exceeding those of a normal ventilator (e.g., 120 to 1,320 BPM)

HMD orRDS (hyaline membrane diseaseor respiratory distress syndrome): a condition affecting premature babies that is caused by a lack of surfactant, the substance that keeps the air sacs in the lungs from collapsing

hydrocephalus: an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain

hyperbilirubinemia: excess bilirubin in the blood, a common condition in the newborn (see also jaundice)

hypercalcemia: an excessive amount of calcium in the blood

hyperglycemia: abnormally high sugar levels in the blood

hyperkalemia: an excessive amount of potassium in the blood

hypernatremia: an excessive amount of sodium in the blood

hypertension: high blood pressure

hypoglycemia: abnormally low sugar levels in the blood

hypovolemia: an abnormally low volume of blood in the body

I&O (input and output): refers to the amount of fluids given by oral feedings and/or by IV and the amount of fluid excreted in the urine or stools

IMV (intermittent mandatory ventilation): the ventilator mode where the baby’s spontaneous (regular) breathing is combined with mandatory breaths from the ventilator

intracranial hemorrhage: bleeding in or around the brain

IM (intramuscular injection): an injection into the muscle in a premature baby, usually in the thigh muscle

IV (intravenous): a tube or a needle placed into a vein to allow infusion of fluids into the bloodstream

IVH (intraventricular hemorrhage): bleeding within the ventricles of the brain

intubation: insertion of a tube into the trachea (windpipe) to allow air and oxygen to reach the lungs

jaundice: a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes cause by an excess of bilirubin in the blood (see also hyperbilirubinemia)

laryngoscope: a lighted instrument with a handle used in intubation to see the vocal cords in order to guide the endotracheal tube between them and into the trachea

LBW (low birth weight): refers to a baby who weighs less than five and one-half pounds at birth; can be premature or full-term

LGA (large for gestational age): describes a baby whose birth weight exceeds the normal range for the gestational age

liquid ventilation: an experimental respiratory treatment where perfluorocarbon, which has the capability of carrying oxygen, is instilled into the lungs to make the infant’s work at breathing easier

LP (lumbar punctureorspinal tap): insertion of a hollow needle between the vertebrae of the lower back to withdraw spinal fluid

meconium: a greenish-black material present in the fetal intestinal tract before birth, usually excreted during the first days after birth

meconium aspiration: sometimes meconium is excreted in utero, staining the amniotic fluid resulting in inhalation of the material by the fetus; neonatologists often are called upon in the delivery rooms to aspirate newborns with this problem to prevent serious respiratory distress

monitor: a machine that records signs such as heartbeat, blood pressure and respiration

NG tube: a small, flexible tube inserted through the nose, down the esophagus (food pipe) and into the stomach; used in gavage feedings

nippling: sucking on a bottle filled with formula or breast milk

NPO: abbreviation from the Latin meaning "nothing by mouth"

PDA (patent ductus arteriosus): a reopening of the ductus arteriosis that usually results in increased blood flow to the lungs; may interfere with the infant’s lung function and may need to be closed with medication or surgery

PFC (persistent fetal circulation): the persistence, after birth, of a pattern of circulation in which blood bypasses the lungs through the ductus arteriosus

PFTs (pulmonary function tests): a series of tests that evaluate the function of the lungs and specific therapies prescribed to improve lung function

phototherapy: treatment of infants with hyperbilirubinemia by exposure to bright lights called bililights

PIE (pulmonary interstitial emphysema): a condition occurring in infants on ventilators that results in the formation of "bubbles" around the air sacs; the bubbles may interfere with normal lung function

plasma: clear, fluid portion of blood (after the red cells have been removed)

platelets: elements of the blood needed for proper clotting

pneumogram: a sleep study, monitoring the baby’s breathing and heart rate during sleep to detect any abnormal breathing patterns

pneumothorax: a collection of air in the chest resulting from an air leak in the lungs, which leads to a lung collapse

polycythemia: a condition that causes "sluggish" circulation due to an abnormally high number of red blood cells

PEEP (positive end expiratory pressure): on a respirator, the constant amount of pressure exerted on the infant’s lungs to keep them expanded during and after breaths

premature infantorpreterm infant: a baby born before the 37th complete week of pregnancy

pulse oximeter: a device capable of measuring the oxygen content in the blood indirectly with a special light source; usually applied to a hand or a foot

rales: abnormal crackling noises in the chest made by air passing through congested bronchial tubes

retraction: an abnormal sucking in of the chest during breathing, indicating that great effort is required to breathe

ROP (retinopathy of prematurity): a condition affecting the retina in premature infants sometimes leading to visual impairment

seizure: a "short-circuiting" of electrical impulses in the brain, resulting from a variety of causes

SGA (small for gestational age): refers to a newborn whose weight is abnormally low for the gestational age

SIMV (synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation): the ventilator mode where the mechanical breaths given by the ventilator are synchronized with the baby’s spontaneous (regular) breaths

subarachnoid hemorrhage: bleeding in the subarachnoid space, the area around the outside of the brain

surfactant: a chemical substance produced by cells in the lung that stabilizes the air sacs to allow for adequate gas exchange; surfactant deficiency leads to hyaline membrane disease

ventilator: a device that assists an infant’s breathing by pushing air into the lungs through a breathing tube

ventricle: a fluid-filled space in the brain or a pumping chamber of the heart

ventriculoperitoneal shunt: a plastic catheter surgically placed in the ventricle of the brain to drain spinal fluid from the brain into the abdominal cavity. This shunt is used to treat hydrocephalus.

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